The story of Watsonian Squire Sidecar Ltd began with a clever idea in 1911. Birmingham builder Thomas “Fred” Watson noticed a practical problem faced by many motorcycle owners. Sidecars of the time were too wide to pass through the narrow alleyways between the terraced houses common in Britain’s industrial cities, making it difficult for riders to store them safely in their backyards. Fred’s innovative solution was a patented collapsible sidecar. Built with a hinged rectangular chassis and vertical body hinges, the sidecar could fold neatly and be wheeled through tight spaces. Once unfolded, the seat locked the frame securely in place. Production started in 1912, and by 1914 the company was already offering around 30 different sidecar models.

Fred Watson continued to introduce new ideas, including a practical sidecar ambulance, while peacetime demand encouraged designs for leisure riders, sports enthusiasts, and working tradesmen. The company expanded rapidly and moved to a larger Birmingham factory in 1922. In 1926 another major innovation arrived: the Kwikfit chassis, which allowed riders to attach or remove a sidecar quickly using a permanent motorcycle subframe and clamp system. This popular design remained in production until the late 1950s.

Despite setbacks such as a devastating factory fire in 1930 and the disruption of World War II, the company endured. During the war, production shifted to essential equipment such as camp beds, rucksack frames, and portable aircraft hangars. After the war, leadership passed to Fred’s son Ron Watson, who guided the company into a new era. Under his direction, Watsonian sidecars achieved global recognition through competitive motorsport success, winning multiple Sidecar World Championships between 1949 and 1953.

As the decades progressed, the business adapted to changing markets and eventually merged with Squire in 1988, forming Watsonian Squire Sidecar Ltd. Today, the company continues to build high-quality sidecars in Britain, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern engineering while preserving over a century of sidecar heritage.